3 Thoughts on K-State Basketball Recruiting, 2024 Roster
Jerome Tang and his team had a busy offseason.
After falling to Iowa in its NIT debut, Kansas State shifted its focus to the transfer portal to help rebuild a lineup that was looking behind the eight ball in the Big 12. At first, there was a mass exodus, when the Wildcats saw multiple rotation players enter the transfer portal when the season ends.
So, there was hope.
Michigan Transfer Cavado McDaniel was the first to commit, and high-profile additions like UI-Chicago guard CJ Jones and Arkasnas great man Baye’s Fall later joined him. After a period of little news and losing some previous targets, the Wildcats finalized their class with the addition of Kentucky’s, Ugonna OnyensoSamford’s Achor Achorand Illinois Coleman Hawkins.
With its roster finalized, K-State can take a step back from team building and focus on competing in the Big 12. They will certainly have the talent to do so, but they will need a strong summer to put it all together.
Here are three thoughts on K-State’s roster-building strategy and its 2024 roster.
1. K-STATE PRIORITIZES PLAYERS WITH MULTIPLE YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY
This is becoming a trend across the country, but K-State took it to another level this off-season by adding several players with more than one season of eligibility.
While they have had their fair share of graduate transfers, including Hawkins and Achor, Tang and his staff have added a few players who can contribute for multiple seasons if they choose.
With players like McDaniel and Onyenso having multiple eligible seasons, the Wildcats have guaranteed themselves the opportunity to build a core and not make next year’s off-season a repeat of this season.
Even in an era defined by player movement, teams that can promote continuity tend to have success in the NCAA Tournament. And while this year’s transfer class isn’t guaranteed to be successful in the tournament, staying together for more than one season should help them.
2. K-STATE PRIORITIZES RIM PROTECTION
The additions of Baye Fall and Ugonna Onyenso seem to prioritize rim protection against their big men. And that’s probably for good reason.
Last season, Will McNair It is Jerrell Colbert they were not elite rim protectors, which hurt their overall defensive production. And while both players had flashes of strong interior defense, they lacked an elite rim protector who could single-handedly shut down the inside of the paint.
Onyenso solves this problem himself, as he is one of the best shot blockers in college basketball. That’s a trait that was missing from K-State’s rotation of big players last season, and it’s a good sign that they’re finding ways to fix that.
The Big 12 is loaded with standout centers this season and finding ways to stop players like Dickinson Hunter It is Norchad Omier will be huge for a team trying to compete for a conference championship.
3. WHAT ROLE WILL DAVID CASTILLO HAVE?
David Castillo was K-State’s only addition in the 2024 recruiting class, and the top-100 prospect was expected to make an impact as a true freshman.
While that is certainly still possible, the Wildcats have added several guards, including some capable of handling the ball as point guards. McDaniel would never eat into Castillo’s playing time, but players like CJ Jones It is Max Jones I could see Castillo’s playing time decrease.
The summer will be an important time for Castillo, as it could be the difference between being a mainstay in the rotation all season and having to come off the bench to get playing time. Either way, it would be disappointing, but not season-ending, to see Castillo not get playing time.
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